PHIL 224.001 – Existential Philosophy and the Meaning(lessness) of Life

Instructor: Ripley Stroud. This course meets TR 9:30 – 10:45 a.m. in SC 210.

Existentialism was a philosophical movement in the early 20th century which held the core tenets that (1) we are maximally and radically free, and that (2) there is no inherent meaning in life. We’ll read a wide variety of different existentialist texts and consider their advantages and shortcomings. We’ll also look at art, film, and literature to get a deeper sense of how these ideas actually present themselves in one’s lived experience.